Event Co-chairs and Jewish National Fund-USA Austin Board with Keynote Speaker Avi Melamed (back row, middle) Credit: Andrew Holmes

On October 9, 2024, just two days after the first anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks in southern Israel, over 450 Austin community members united at the Dell Jewish Community Center for Jewish National Fund-USA’s annual Breakfast for Israel. The complimentary event gave Austinites the opportunity to unite in solidarity with the people of Israel and learn how the organization is supporting Israel’s resilience and rebuilding efforts post-October 7.

Co-chaired by Terry Benaryeh, Lauren Halpern, Heilla Lain, and Michelle Reichenberg, the event’s keynote speaker was Avi Melamed. A distinguished Middle East expert, intelligence analyst, author, educator, and the Founder and CEO of Inside the Middle East Intelligence Perspectives, Melamed previously served as a Fellow of Intelligence and Middle East Affairs at the Eisenhower Institute in Washington, D.C. and is a former Israeli Intelligence Official and Senior Advisor on Arab Affairs. 

“The weakening of the Axis of Resistance and Iran creates an opening for a new regional framework that could lead to a more sustainable arrangement,” Melamed recently said. “Saudi Arabia’s recent announcement of an initiative in this regard is a promising first step. There is cautious optimism that amid these shifting dynamics, a long-term settlement may now be within reach, offering a glimmer of hope for a more stable Middle East.”

Additionally, local lay leaders shared personal stories from their Volunteer Mission to Israel with Jewish National Fund-USA and discussed how the organization is supporting Israel’s rebuilding efforts post-October 7 (jnf.org/supportisrael). Through the organization’s bold and visionary Build Together plan for Israel’s south and Reimagine plan for the north, Jewish National Fund-USA is partnering with Israelis in both regions to repair, rehabilitate, and renovate damaged communities while ensuring critical services are established. From quality-of-life projects to critical infrastructure, Jewish National Fund-USA is addressing the physical and psychological needs of Israelis living on Israel’s northern and southern frontiers.

“We saw with our own eyes how Jewish National Fund-USA has transformed these communities,” said Event Co-chair Michelle Reichenberg. “The organization has built their water reservoirs, donated their fire trucks, and driven the development of their housing expansion and community growth.”

“Now, we must come together again,” added Event Co-chair Heilla Lain. “To continue re-building the Western Negev and the South. To tackle the challenge of providing several hundred new bomb shelters in the North as Hezbollah has displaced tens of thousands of citizens. To build emergency response centers to protect these communities, and to support families just like ours.”

The event, sold out for the third year in a row, provided Austin-area Zionists with hope for the future, and an opportunity to learn about their current and future impact through Jewish National Fund-USA. “Many have given us the generous feedback that this has been our best event yet,” said Chayla Furlong, Director, Central Texas. “I think that’s true, and still know our best is yet to come as our local community continues to rally together for the Jewish state, and to do more for the land and people of Israel than ever before.”  

For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA or to learn about upcoming events in Austin, visit jnf.org or contact Chayla Furlong, Director, Central Texas at cfurlong@jnf.org or 512.410.1438 x948.